During this holiday period, between dinners and lunches with friends and relatives, we run the risk of providing our cats with an incorrect diet. It is important, in fact, not to give in to the temptation to let your 4-legged friend taste the tasty dishes you are eating these days. Our food leftovers are absolutely not suitable for our animals, because they contain substances and condiments that could harm their health and digestion.

Even during this holiday period it is good to continue to offer our cat a correct and balanced diet, we at ResPet recommend the best brands on the market

Today, in fact, we find a great variety of products for feeding our cats on sale, but which are really valid?

How to choose products

There are products for every need and this is precisely the first thing to evaluate when choosing which product to buy. First of all, you need to select products based on age, weight and particular needs, such as allergies or pathologies.

The current legislation provides for an initial subdivision of cat food into:

• Complete foods: products capable of providing all the nutrients necessary for daily needs.
• Complementary foods: products that are not individually sufficient to satisfy the necessary daily ration. They are, therefore, to be used in combination with other products.

A further division is between dry food and wet food.

• Dry food, which contains less than 14% water, such as kibble, is excellent for your cat's dental hygiene and is also very convenient to dose.
• Wet food, which contains more than 34% water, is very tasty for cats and provides good hydration.

When choosing products to feed your cat, it is essential to carefully read the list of ingredients.

The cat is a carnivore, therefore, its diet must consist mainly of animal proteins, while the intake of carbohydrates must be limited. Therefore, those products that have cereals, potatoes or other types of carbohydrates at the top of the list of ingredients should be avoided.

Absolutely avoid products that contain artificial colors or preservatives and sugar.

This month we recommend N&D Ocean with pumpkin, herring and orange.

The most frequent ingredients

• Proteins: a fundamental element that can never be missing, especially of animal origin, whether meat or fish.

The amount of protein is indicated by the wording:

• “Chicken flavored food” refers to an amount of meat less than 4%
• "Chicken food" indicates that the meat content is not less than 4%
• “Chicken-rich food” indicates an amount ranging from 14% to 25%
• "Chicken" the amount of chicken is more than 26%
• "All chicken" the ingredient indicated must be 100% present

• Cereals: frequent element in the list of ingredients, especially rice, it is important that there is not an excessive quantity, to avoid weight problems in the cat.

• Fats: it is good that omega 3 and omega 6 are present in cat food.

• Fibers: The fibers inside the products should not exceed 5%.

This little guide on ingredients will help you always choose the best for your cat!